Tag Archives: Child Star
NEW TALENT: Child Actor David Mazouz Tackles a Tough Role in TOUCH
Posted on 25. Jan, 2012 by Hollywood Mom.
David Mazouz plays Jake, a mute child with an obsession with numbers and patterns which, if deciphered properly by his father (Sutherland), lead to worldwide human connections.
Kiefer Sutherland returns to primetime Wednesday in the Fox drama Touch, as the father of a child who has never spoken and doesn’t communicate in any traditional ways. Touch was created by Tim Kring, (Heroes).
Like the heroic characters in Hereos, in Touch Jake has super abilities only his are with numbers and patterns which, if deciphered properly by his father, lead to connections among people worldwide.
Child Actor David Mazouz
According to Kring, finding the right actor fir the part was difficult as the role requires an ability to affect the blank, isolated look often seen in children who have autism, yet also to suggest there is a lot going on behind the eyes.
Kring told the NY Times, “David is an extraordinary child. He is extremely focused, and you can see the internal life in him. He’s also very still. Most kids we auditioned, you’d catch moments here and there between their general fidgetiness.”
Jake is silent to the other characters but his thoughts are heard in voice-over. “Because we hear his internal voice, we have an understanding of just how intelligent he is, so we had to cast someone who fit that,” Kring said.
Mazouz is represented theatrically by Wendi Green, Paradigm, and Jeremy Apody, Abrams Artists, commercially. Prior to landing the role of Jake, David worked on episodes of Mike and Molly, Criminal Minds, Private Practice and the tv movie Amish Grace.
Kring and his team try to establish early on that, although Jake might look autistic, Touch is not about autism, and Jake’s condition is something else entirely.
“In the pilot, we were pretty set on trying to state that as early as possible,” Kring said. “Clearly, the autism community deserves to have champions out there, but, by the same token, we wanted to have the ability as storytellers to float above reality a little bit. There’s something special going on with this child — something metaphysical, almost supernatural.”
In the premiere, Sutherland finds his way to a some answers when he meets a character played by Danny Glover, who tells him that Jake essentially has psychic powers.
“Your son sees everything,” the character says: “the past, the present, the future. He sees how it’s all connected.”
Then he adds, “It’s a road map, and your job now, your purpose, is to follow it for him.”
*Sources: Fox, NY Times
Click here for the Huffington Post Interview with the stars of Touch
Mazouz played Ryan Hall in an episode of Criminal Minds (2011), called "The Bittersweet Science."
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GIVING BACK: Former Child Star Kristy McNichol Outs Herself to Help Others
Posted on 08. Jan, 2012 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
Child Stars Kristy McNichol and Tatum O'Neal in "Little Darlings"
Actress and former child star Kristy McNichol, 49, has come out as a lesbian in an effort to help kids who are troubled by their sexuality and who are being bullied for being different.
The former child star of 1980′s “Little Darlings,” and TV hits “Family” and “Empty Nest” dropped out of Hollywood and retired from acting in the 90′s after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Now she’s reaching out via her publicist to announce her own sexuality in hopes that it will help bullied teens.
McNichol’s has been living with her partner Martie Allen for two decades and according to her publicist Jeff Ballard,”[She] is sad about kids being bullied. She hopes that [her] coming out can help kids who need support. She would like to help others who feel different.”
Source: People.com
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New Entertainment Work Permit Law in Effect as of January 1, 2012
Posted on 02. Jan, 2012 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
Effective January 1, 2012, California Labor Code Section 1308.5 allows a parent or guardian of a minor to apply on-line for a 10 Day Temporary Entertainment Work Permit which is issued immediately upon completion of an application and payment of the $50.00 application fee. This 10 Day Temporary Entertainment Work Permit is subject to the following conditions:
- It can only be issued once for a minor.
- It is only available to minors at least 15 days old and under 16 years old.
- It is only available to a minor whose parent or guardian has not previously applied for an Entertainment Work Permit.
- It is only available to a minor who has not previously been issued an Entertainment Work Permit.
- Due to the medical certification required per California Labor Code Section 1308.8 for minors between 15 days and one month old; 10 Day Temporary Entertainment Work Permits cannot be issued immediately for minors between 15 days and one month old. Following receipt and verification of the medical certification, the parent or guardian will receive an e-mail within one business day that the 10 Day Temporary Entertainment Work Permit has been approved and is ready for printing.
Thank you to Hollywood Mom Lilli Bauer for scouting this information! For details go to the website at https://permits.dir.ca.gov/tewp/
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IN THE NEWS: ASA BUTTERFIELD, Child Star on the Rise, Lands Hot Property ENDER’s GAME
Posted on 20. Nov, 2011 by Hollywood Mom.
Asa Butterfield and Chloe Moretz star in HUGO
According to Deadline Hollywood, child actor Asa Butterfield, 14, who stars in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo with Chloe Moretz, has been offered the lead role in the highly sought after book turned film property, Ender’s Game. After screen-testing several young actors, director Gavin Hood (Wolverine) chose Butterfield to star as boy genius Andrew “Ender” Wiggin in the adaptation of the seminal Orson Scott Card sci-fi book series. It won both the Hugo and Nebula awards, and rose to the top of national bestseller lists.
The publishers website describes “Ender’s Game” this way: ”Andrew “Ender” Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when this begins. He will grow up fast.
“But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender’s two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military’s purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine’s abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails.”
Other book characters include Ender’s older siblings, Valentine and Peter. Casting Director is John Papsidera and has a tentative March 15, 2013 release date.
Butterfield has worked on several major feature films: Son of Rambow, Nanny McPhee Returns, The Wolfman and The Boy in Striped Pajamas. Martin Scorsese’s 3-D family film Hugo will debut in theaters over the Thanksgiving weekend.
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CHILD STAR STYLE: Kendall & Kylie Jenner Host HELLO KITTY Launch at Forever 21 Hollywood!
Posted on 19. Nov, 2011 by Hollywood Mom.
My tween daughter Jordan and her friend Sarah pose with Lolita Girls at the Hello Kitty Launch Party at Forever 21 at the famed Hollywood and Highland Shopping Complex
Enthusiastic Hello Kitty fans pack Hollywood & Highland hoping for a chance to get into the Launch Party at Forever 21 Hollywood
Thursday night Forever 21 and Hello Kitty hosted a launch party for Forever 21 for Hello Kitty Collection in Hollywood. The dedicated fans of this clothing line launch were akin to fanboys at ComicCon. Forever 21 customers flooded Hollywood Blvd., with the customer line then curling around into the Hollywood & Highland shopping complex all the way back to the escalators. It was truly a sight to behold. As Hello Kitty & Forever 21 aren’t exactly focusing on my “mom demographic,” I brought along my tween daughter Jordan and her friend Sarah to gauge their take on the launch event and the clothing line. Their overall review: Party Kinda Drab. Fashions Super Fab!
The launch party was hosted by Reality TV Child Stars Kendall and Kylie Jenner who were styled to perfection in a “Japanese Lolita meets Hello Kitty” mode. They did several costume changes throughout the evening and impressed with every outfit. Full kudos to the girls’ stylists – they did a wonderful job. If you can’t imagine Hello Kitty looking like runway couture, you’re not alone but I witnessed first-hand that it’s not only possible but absolutely adorable when pulled together by the pros.
The launch party was hosted by Reality TV Child Stars Kendall and Kylie Jenner
Stefanie Scott from Disney's ANT Farm
Other guests included Stefanie Scott of Disney’s A.N.T. Farm and designer Trina Tarantino. As for the shindig itself, the biggest snafu was that the store was poorly laid out for a large party. Most of the new Hello Kitty fashions were packed together in the front of the store which also happened to be the narrowest portion of the room and the place where everyone (guests, employees, paparazzi, media and security) entered and exited. So how did this translate to party-goers who wanted to shop and possibly buy Hello Kitty fashions? It was like watching people herd cats – no Hello Kitty pun intended. If one more well-intentioned employee told us to “keep the area clear” I was seriously going to cough up a fur ball.
I never saw Hello Kitty, but the kids told me she was modeling fashions and milling about the store. Some guests (read not us) were able to indulge at the Hello Kitty Nail Art Station which included free nail art and full manicures. Unfortunately it was all ready booked for the entire evening when we arrived at 7:15. A Hello Kitty Sweets Station displayed delicious mini cupcakes and marshmellow Hello Kittys on a stick. Raffles were held for one-of-a-kind Hello Kitty fashions and Hello Kitty goodie bags – but we couldn’t get our hands on the elusive raffle tickets either.
Guess what we were able to do though? After tuning out the “Clear the Area” mantra, we shopped, shopped and then shopped some more. The girls left the event with bags of clothes and were thrilled with their purchases: Hello Kitty Leg warmers, wallets, cardigans, tee shirts, socks, scarves, flannel pajamas, hair accessories and jewelry. All in all not a bad way for a couple of lucky tween girls to spend a school night.
Look for these adorable and affordable Hello Kitty Fashions at a Forever 21 near you!
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GIVING BACK: Child Stars Nolan Gould, Kiernan Shipka & More, Team with Sesame Street to End Child Hunger
Posted on 17. Nov, 2011 by Hollywood Mom.
Modern Family’s Nolan Gould (Luke Dunphy) and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, previewed Sesame Street’s newest primetime special, Growing Hope Against Hunger, Tuesday at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank on Vernon, CA. Nolan was joined by Murray the Muppet and fellow child stars Kiernan Shipka, Lexi Hofer, Evan Hofer, Gig Morton, Griffin Cluck, and Jake Short to help distribute food to the area’s less fortunate.
Nolan Gould and Murray pack boxes at the LA Regional Food Bank
Kiernan Shipka, Lexi Hofer, Evan Hofer, Gig Morton, Griffin Cluck, Murray, Nolan Gould and Jake Short volunteer at the LA Regional Food Bank
The prime time special, part of Sesame Street’s initiative, Growing Hope Against Hunger, will air in Spanish next Friday, November 25, 2011 on Vme TV (check local listings). The special, which aired last month on PBS in English, can also be viewed online in English at www.sesamestreet.org/food. The special is hosted by Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams Paisley and introduces Lily, a new Muppet, who’s own family is food insecure, raising awareness of the widespread issue of hunger. The special, made possible by the generous support of Walmart, provides simple, empowering strategies to families who aren’t sure where their next meal will come from and to others who want to help.
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THEN & NOW: Christina Ricci Thankful She Is Not A Child Star in Today’s World
Posted on 23. Oct, 2011 by Hollywood Mom.
Christina Ricci (PAN AM) became a household name in the 1990′s at age nine working on film projects like The Addams Family, Now and Then, Sleepy Hollow, Mermaids, The Ice Storm, Casper, and quickly graduated to respected indie fare like Pumpkin, The Opposite of Sex and Monster.
Unlike today’s teen and child stars who are under constant media scrutiny, Christina reveals that she was not pursued by paparazzi in the 90′s and led a normal teen life.
“You know, I made all the mistakes a lot of young stars are making today. I partied, I drank. But during my time there weren’t that many photographers around. I had more freedom,” she said.
Christina further states that when pressures of fame overwhelm her she reacts by chilling out at her home.
“If I feel stressed, I take a personal day, which basically entails me being on my couch with a book and my puppy! I don’t leave the house. And I like to visit my friends, and just hang out with my family,” she said.
You can watch Christina on Sunday nights 10/9 pm on ABC. If you’d like to dress like Christina and the other Pan Am Stewardesses for Halloween this year, ABC has made posted the step by step instructional manual complete with print outs!
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Child Actors In the News: Griffin Kane Makes Film Debut in CONTAGION
Posted on 06. Sep, 2011 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
Griffin Kane, an 8-year-old from the small village of Wilmette, Illinois, is the lucky kid cast to play the child of Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow in the action-thriller “Contagion” (think updated version of “Outbreak”) debuting Friday. Similar to it’s predecessor Outbreak, this new film is also an action-thriller about a deadly disease spread, and also features a large cast of A-list movie stars: Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Laurence Fishburne among others. Outbreak as you may recall featured Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Cuba Gooding Jr., Patrick Dempsey, Donald Sutherland and a very naughty monkey. According to Cineplex.com, a notable difference in the new version directed by Steven “I’m-on-a-sabatical” Soderburgh; Gwyneth Paltrow is the outbreak monkey. But I’m digressing…
Young Griffin Kane recently told the Chicago Tribune, “I did scenes and I played with Matt Damon and I had my own trailer.” While not filming, Kane and Damon would have Nerf gun battles and sometimes, during filming, they’d giggle in the middle of takes. Kane who has not yet seen the movie, will attend the September 7th film premiere in New York City with his parents and walk down the red carpet. Kane, who’s not used to seeing himself on screen said of the experience, “It’s really kind of weird.”
So how does an 8-year-old from Illinois’ North Shore get cast in a huge Hollywood feature film? It began just over seven years ago when Kane’s Mom, Kelly Keenan, who works in advertising, got her son into modeling at 6-months-old. Then a few years ago, Kane graduated to auditioning for films. Last summer he was cast in Contagion which was filming in the area and looking for local actors.
Since Contagion, Kane’s new career has been on a roll and he’s been cast in several in commercials for Kleenex, the Field Museum, and for Kmart’s Halloween campaign. Kane will be dressed as Captain America in the commercial.
When the Tribune asked Momma Keenan if she was fearful of the child actor curse she matter-of-factly replied, “We get asked that a lot, but we feel confident that we can guide him in the right way. I think for every screwed-up child actor there are so many actors that are doing just great.”
Griffin Kane is represented by Stewart Talent (film & commercial & print); Grossman & Jack (voiceover) and Roya Weiner at Caliber Media is his manager.
Griffin Kane in CONTAGION
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CHILD ACTORS: MODERN FAMILY Child Role Replaced with New Actor
Posted on 15. Aug, 2011 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
Aubrey Anderson-Emmons is the new Lily.
ABC’s Modern Family just announced the new four-year-old actress who will be playing Lily in Season 3 is Aubrey Anderson-Emmons. She will take over the role when the sitcom returns on Sept. 21, per Entertainment Weekly, which has the first look photo. She will replace twins Jaden and Ella Hiller, who alternately played the role of Lily for the last two seasons. Watch their twitter feed at @TheBabyLilyPad for their reactions to the new casting choice.
According to fellow child star Nolan Gould: “The first day I met her, she was kind of hiding behind her mom’s leg and I brought out my iPad and started playing with it and she comes out and she’s like [gasp] and started playing with it. It was really cute. I haven’t worked with her yet. But she is really happy. She says lines. She does everything. She’s really cute.”
Modern Family creator Steven Levitan announced back in May 2011 that he would replace the twins, as he felt they wanted to do other things and the decision was “what’s best for them.”
*Source Entertainment Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter
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L.A. CASTING CALL: Sony Commercial
Posted on 05. Aug, 2011 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
People Farm is Casting for a national, SAG, Sony Commercial spot, which will pay SAG wages. Submissions must be from the southern California area only.
The following roles still need to be filled for auditions for this Monday!
- “Sweet 16″ Asian Kids (girls about to turn 16)
- Ice Hockey Kids (any ethnicity) ages 7-12
- Ice Hockey Dad
- High school cheerleaders
Email our gorgeous friend Teresa at Teresamlowther@gmail.com ASAP with head shot and resume. Actors MUST LIVE IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA.
This is a GREAT opportunity! Good Luck and tell her Hollywood Mom Blog sent you!
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CHILD STARS: Saoirse Ronan Says She’s Not a Child Actor, She’s an Actor Who’s Young.
Posted on 05. Aug, 2011 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
Talented Child Actress Saoirse Ronan (Hanna, Atonement and The Lovely Bones) and her father, actor Paul Ronan, always makes sure he discusses any potential movie roles with her before she accepts an offer, according to Irish Central online. Ronan shares with Irish Central: “Most of the time, he’ll read it first – to see if there’s anything in it that’s a bit explicit. Then I’ll read it afterward and we’ll discuss it.”
To land the coveted role of Suzie in “The Lovely Bones,” the father/daughter duo took it one step further and actually acted out some dramatic scenes in an audition tape that eventually won her the role. Lovely Bones director Peter Jackson recalls, “A lot of teenage girls turn up at auditions with a pre-packaged screen persona, but for Susie, we wanted the opposite, someone who would give the sense of being a very ordinary and real 14 year-old girl. What we didn’t expect is that we would find our teenager from Norristown, Ireland.”
Obviously the choices they’ve made together are strong as Saoirse, now 17 years old, has all ready received nominations for a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and an Oscar for her performances.
Saoirse with her thespian father, Paul Ronan
So with all the professional acclaim how does the young talent remain so level-headed? Ronan recently told IFTN,“I think the thing to remember is that you can never predict what is going to happen. I can’t, Meryl Streep can’t, nobody can and you have to take every day as it comes and never take things too seriously. You should be doing it really for yourselves because you love it and you have fun doing it which is why I do it.”
In regards to the tricky professional “transition” she will soon make to more adult roles, Saoirse says,”At the age I’m at, it’s a tricky time to try and figure out which is the best project for me to do. [However] I’ve never really felt like I was a child actor. Just an actor who happened to be quite young.”
*Sources Irish Central and The Irish Film and Television Network
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Invisalign Teen® (I.T.) & Hollywood Mom Blog “Just Go With I.T.” Sweepstakes!
Posted on 30. Jul, 2011 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
August 2011 is officially INVISALIGN TEEN® MONTH here at Hollywood Mom Blog!
For Bailee Madison, Invisalign is a family affair!
Over the next four weeks HMB will post in-depth interviews with child stars (and Invisalign users!) CIARA BRAVO (Big Time Rush) and BAILEE MADISON (Just Go With It, Dance of the Mirlitons) who also happen to be die-hard fans of Invisalign Teen®. During the month of August, HMB will also host a wonderful sweepstakes on behalf of Invisalign which will award gift certificates of $100 dollars each to 5 very lucky Hollywood Mom Blog families to help them begin their own Invisalign Teen® success story! Review the official Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations here. Young Hollywood’s go-to orthodontist, Dr. Gilbert Snow of Snow Orthodontics, is treating both Madison and Bravo with their Invisalign programs. Many young actors today (and even some of their Hollywood Moms!) are deciding to “Just go with ‘I.T.’ – Invisalign Teen® that is – because it’s quite literally the clear alternative to traditional braces.
Daniel Azani, D.D.S of Snow Orthodontics advises Ciara Bravo on her Invisalign program.
As the parents of young actors we know that traditional braces can hinder a child in certain casting calls and potentially from filming material in which a mouth full of metal isn’t desirable. Not to mention that teens in general don’t necessarily want the added attention and hassle of all the metal, wires, wax and more. Fortunately with Invisalign Teen® it’s no longer an issue!
Invisalign Teen® takes a modern approach to straightening teeth. With a series of clear aligners that gradually straighten your teeth, Invisalign Teen is comfortable, affordable and effective. And without brackets and wires, you’ll have the confidence of a great smile even during treatment. Each aligner also comes with a small, inconspicuous Blue Dot Wear Indicator, which helps remind young patients when they’re ready for the next set of aligners.
Invisalign Teen patients can also continue brushing and flossing as usual so it’s much easier to maintain better oral hygiene. And as moms we know our kids are bound to accidentally lose an aligner or two, which is why Invisalign generously gives Teen users up to six free replacement aligners!
How to Enter the Sweepstakes: Beginning August 1, 2011 and continuing through September 30, 2011 at 11:59:59 p.m. (ET), you may enter by leaving a comment in the “Leave a Reply” section of this POST about why you think Invisalign would be perfect for your teen. You may also enter by sending a stamped 3” x 5” postcard with your name, address, and contact phone number to: Invisalign and Hollywoodmomblog.com Sweepstakes, PO Box 1093, Chino Hills, CA 91709. Detailed Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations can be reviewed here.
As part of their treatment, each Invisalign Studio Celebrity supports the charity America’s Toothfairy, part of The National Children’s Oral Health Foundation whose mission it is “to eliminate pediatric oral disease and promote overall health and well being for millions of children from vulnerable populations as a comprehensive resource provider for non-profit community programs, delivering critical preventive, educational and treatment services.”
Follow all three on twitter @Invisalign @BaileeMadison @ciarabravo to stay on top of the latest news!
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Former HARRY POTTER Child Star Daniel Radcliffe On Personal Quest to Prove Child Actors Do Not Have to Burn Out
Posted on 08. Jul, 2011 by Editor Tracy Bobbitt.
In a recent interview with GQ Magazine, former child actor Daniel Radcliffe, now 21, of Harry Potter fame, revealed that while Harry Potter was battling Draco Malfoy with the Hogwarts on the big screen, he was conquering personal demons off screen.
The final film in the series debuts July 15, 2011
Radcliffe was cast as Harry Potter at age 11 and grew into a man before our eyes. The pressures of fame made him reliant on alcohol to enjoy himself, particularly while filming Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, at which time he was 18 years old. Radcliffe confided that he became increasingly “complacent” about his acting and was, “…enamored with the idea of living some sort of famous person’s lifestyle that really isn’t suited to me.”
To his credit, Radcliffe now chooses a life of sobriety, having stopped drinking in August 2010. He reflects that he would love to go to parties and such but that having just a few drinks doesn’t work for him. He now prefers to stay home with his girlfriend, telling GQ, “There’s no shame in enjoying the quiet life. And that’s been the realization of the past few years for me.”
Radcliffe is on a “personal crusade” to prove that child stars do not have to burn out and is using his own life path as the ultimate example. “If I can make a career for myself after Potter, and it goes well, and is varied and with longevity,” he stated, “then that puts to bed the ‘child actors argument’. If I can do it, in the biggest film franchise of all time, no other child actor who comes after will ever have to answer those same bloody questions.”
Amen.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, the last installment in the franchise, is out July 15.